Southern Tanzania safari and Zanzibar vacation

Planet

Making a positive difference for both people and the planet underpins our trips, and southern Tanzania is a great example of this in action. Traveling through remote wildlife areas and finishing on the coast means spending time in places where careful, low-impact tourism really matters. We focus on small-scale, locally owned lodges and safari camps rather than large international chains, giving you a more personal experience while supporting local jobs and businesses. Many of these stays are designed to blend into their surroundings, using solar energy, managing water carefully and keeping guest numbers low.

Your accommodation and activities are always chosen with conservation in mind. In protected areas across southern Tanzania, park fees and conservation levies help fund habitat protection, wildlife monitoring and community initiatives linked to the parks. Game drives are led by experienced local guides who prioritise respectful, ethical wildlife viewing, ensuring animals are observed without disturbance. Your time in Zanzibar is also planned with care, favouring smaller places to stay and a slower pace that helps reduce pressure on the environment.

We provide practical guidance on traveling responsibly and respecting local cultures and ecosystems, and all wildlife experiences follow strict welfare principles shaped with independent experts Animondial. Back in the UK, we support nature-based climate and biodiversity projects through our partnership with Earthly, with a small contribution included in every itinerary to help protect the landscapes that make journeys like this possible.

People

The accommodation we use on this southern Tanzania and Zanzibar itinerary reflects the same ethos we follow worldwide: small-scale, characterful lodges and camps that are locally owned, authentic and closely connected to their surroundings, rather than large international hotel chains. In southern parks such as Nyerere National Park and Ruaha, safari camps are designed to blend into riverine forests and vast savannah landscapes, keeping guest numbers low while supporting local employment and nearby communities. In Zanzibar, you’ll stay in smaller boutique hotels that reflect island life and are rooted in the local environment, rather than resort-style developments.

We maximise local economic opportunities by working with locally owned excursion companies wherever possible. Throughout the trip, you’ll be guided by experienced Tanzanian guides, whether on game drives in the remote southern parks or exploring life along the Swahili coast. Their local knowledge adds depth and context to your experience, while ensuring tourism income supports people living and working in these regions.

A key part of this itinerary is our close collaboration with in-country partners based in Tanzania. They help shape each journey on the ground, drawing on their understanding of the south’s quieter wildlife areas and Zanzibar’s coastal communities. This helps us steer away from the busiest safari circuits, spread tourism benefits more widely and support the local economy long before you arrive, as Tanzanian teams are involved in planning and operations from the outset.

Our partners and accommodation providers are strongly committed to conservation and protecting Tanzania’s natural heritage. In wildlife areas, park fees and conservation levies contribute directly to habitat protection and wildlife monitoring, while many camps support community initiatives linked to conservation. Guests receive clear guidance on traveling responsibly, from respecting wildlife on safari to being mindful of cultural norms on the coast, helping ensure tourism continues to benefit both nature and local communities.